Birkat Eirusin When the Bride or Groom Cannot Drink Wine
QUESTION
South Central, USA
I’m officiating at a wedding, and the kallah said she can’t drink wine or grape juice. The only liquids she can drink are water or tea. What would you recommend they say the berakhot over at the wedding? Thank you.
ANSWER
A couple of possibilities:
1. The chatan can drink without the kallah doing so.
2. You don’t need wine really – Shulchan Arukh EH 62:1 ואם אין יין מצוי מברך על השכר.
3. Bedieved you don’t need a kos at all. See Beit Shmuel there who writes ואם אין שכר מצוי יברך בלא כוס.
I think if you don’t want to do #1, she should do tea, which
